Best win for Corey Campbell

Patrick Erin gave 16yr-old White Robe Lodge apprentice Corey Campbell his most important win in the $35,000 Ashburton Cup at Ashburton on Saturday (21/10/2017).  Campbell began riding in March and had his first win at Wingatui in May aboard Perceptive.

Trainer Brian Anderton said Patrick Erin had been aided by the four kilogram allowance of Campbell in the Ashburton Cup. Patrick Erin was awkwardly placed sixth on the inner in the 1600m race, then came wide in the run home and powered home to win by a nose. The win followed a bold run fresh up for third over 1200m at Gore. The Gallant Guru - Mega Babe gelding had won the Wyndham Cup (2100m) and Riverton Cup (2147m) last season.

Anderton is planning to step Patrick Erin up to 2000m in the $40,000 Jockey Club Handicap on the second day of the New Zealand Cup meeting at Riccarton on November 15.

Anderton won the Ashburton Cup with Prince Kumai in 1988 and Bloodstone in 1990 when the race was run over 2000m. Both horses were ridden by Paul Richards. Prince Kumai won the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup (Metropolitan Handicap) at Riccarton in 1989 when ridden by Terry Kennedy. Bloodstone won an open handicap at Riccarton two starts after his Ashburton win.

Coulee, the dual group three winner in the Anderton stable, has had her return to racing delayed by a week. She was scratched from the open 1200m at Ashburton when walking short on Saturday morning. She has been entered for the Riccarton meeting this week.

"She had bruised the bulb on a heel and we changed he shoeing,'' said Brian.

Fascinate has also been hindered by a bruised heel.

The White Robe Lodge sponsored feature race on the Otago Racing Club calendar will be run under weight-for-age conditions in February in a bid by the club to prevent it being downgraded from group three to listed. It has been a handicap since established in 1974.